The Atlanta Braves began the season 0-6 when they took on the Los Angeles Dodgers for game three on Wednesday night. The Braves excitedly gained a 5-0 lead before letting the lead deteriorate and being walked-off by LA. The Braves now begin the season 0-7, which puts them in a terrible position.
Can the Braves Turn It Around?
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No Team Has Overcome 0-7 to Make the Playoffs
Several teams in recent seasons have started badly but ended better than not. The Braves won the World Series after an 0-5 start in 2021. In 2024, the New York Mets came back from being 0-5 and even 22-33 to reach the NLCS. However, there have only been three teams who were 0-6 and made the playoffs. As for those 0-7 teams, however, not a single team has started 0-7 and made the playoffs.
Of course, Atlanta is very capable of being the first team to do so. However, the common ranking of Atlanta being the second-best team after LA at the beginning of the season is not true. So many teams got better after 2024 when Atlanta did not. Atlanta, though, has the ability to come back. Perhaps a series against the Miami Marlins will get Atlanta back to normal. However, undoubtedly, the Marlins did better in their seven games than Atlanta did.
Bad Luck? Maybe, but..
The poor Braves had to play the 7-0 San Diego Padres to begin the season and then the 8-0 Dodgers. Perhaps this was just a case of bad luck. But then again San Diego is only 7-0 because of Atlanta and the LA could say the same. No team, regardless of being the Chicago White Sox or the Braves, should lose seven games in a row to start a season. The offense of the Braves has been just sad. With the pitching not nearly being as good as many have said, the offense has been a massive letdown.
First, the rotation lacks. Three of the five in the rotation aren’t trustworthy thanks to past performances. Meanwhile, Chris Sale is an injury risk while at the same time not exactly being good to begin the season. The reality is that the rotation isn’t good at all while the bullpen is not good either. The offense, the rock of the team, was terrible. Between the two series, Atlanta at one point scored two runs in a matter of four games. Not to mention the Braves still lost after scoring five runs early in the final game of the series against the Dodgers.
Where’s the Average?
The team has hit a total of four home runs. However, the team’s best player average-wise so far is Marcell Ozuna. Oh, and that average is .188. Yikes. This is only seven games, but still, that’s just terrible. Every single player has been atrocious to begin the season. Even the power hasn’t been very impressive, or important at least. The Mets have hit a total of seven home runs. However, New York has hit a grand slam and three-run homer as well (Pete Alonso both times). The Braves meanwhile have hit homers that do absolutely nothing except add a run to a lifeless loss.
Atlanta’s offense needs to quickly turn around and hit when it matters. Atlanta’s average so far this season ranks as the worst by far. The average? .151. No team is going to win games with such performances. Atlanta’s offense is what is key to the team coming back into prominence. Without the offense, the team will surely collapse.
Overall, Atlanta must come back from being 0-7. No team has ever done such a thing. Can Atlanta?
Main Image: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
